Combination door pull-to and armrest



June 24, 1952 E. G. WETTLAUFER COMBINATION DOOR PULL-TO AND ARMREST 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 9. 1949 llliilll.: l

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June 24,. 1952 E. G. wET'rLAUFER 2,601,677

COMBINATION DOOR PULL-TO AND ARMREST Filed Feb. 9. 1949 4 sheets-sheet 2 @il ,7m/MVS,

June 24, 1952 E. G. wl-:TTLAUFER COMBINATION DOOR PULL-TO AND ARMREST 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 9. 1949 rra/marks.

June 24, 1952 Filed Feb. 9. 1949 E. G. WETTLAUFER COMBINATION DOOR PULL-TO AND ARMREST 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 24, 1952 r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION DOOR PULL-TO AND ARMREST 22 Claims.

This invention relates to arm rests such as may be used in automobiles to increase the comfort of the occupants. The application is a continuation-in-part of the inventors application Serial No. 648,915, filed February 20, 1946, now abandoned, entitled Combination Door Pull-to and Armrest.

It is an important object of the invention to provide an arm rest construction which may be molded from plastic material. The present invention therefore obtains the advantages associated with the use of plastics, viz., economy in manufacture, light weight, and attractive appearance and, in addition, provides a strong but comfortable arm rest.

Another object is to provide means for attaching an arm rest to a panel and a cushion member to the base member of an arm rest which are accessible from the outside of the panel but which are concealed from view.

An additional object is to provide an arm rest which may also be used as a door pull.

The features of construction whereby these and other objects of the invention are accomplished, are shown by way of illustration but not of limitation in the accompanying drawings wherein:v

Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of arm rest embodying features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the arm rest of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections taken on the lines 3-3 and 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of another form of arm rest embodying features of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the arm rest shown in Fig. 5;

Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are cross sections taken on the lines 'I-1, 8 8, and 3 9 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of another form of arm rest;

Fig. 11 is a cross section taken on the line II--II of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of another form of arm rest;

Fig. 13 is a front elevation of the arm rest of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a right end view of the arm rest of Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is a plan View of a modified form of the invention;

Figs. 16 and 17 are cross sections taken on lines Iii-I6 and I'I-Il of Fig. 15;

Fig. 18 is a plan View of another modified form of the invention; and,

Fig. 19 is a cross section taken on the line Ill-I9 of Fig. 18.

The improved arm rest has a base member I which appears C-shaped in plan and U-shaped in cross section. It, therefore, has an open top 2, and end portions 3 and 4 which may be partially or completely open or walled as desired. It

will be recognized that the base member I comprises essentially a shell with upright or upturned side walls 5 and 6. Upright stiffening webs 1, 8, and I0 are provided Ito impart strength and rigidity to the base member so that it may ibe molded from plastic material. These webs interconnect the bottom of the base member and its side walls 5 and 6. Additional stiffening webs I2 and I4 extending from the wall 5 and terminating adjacent the ends 3 and 4 of the base member may also be provided. Columnlike protuberances or enlargements i6 are formed in the webs I2 and I4 to extend diagonally or in `an inclined manner from the ends 3 and 4 to the bottom of the base member I. The columns I6 are apertured but are enlarged at I8, adjacent the bottom of the base member I, which enlargements have larger apertures than the ibalance of the columns. These apertures open out through the bottom of the base member I and provide a radial shoulder 22 spaced inwardly of the bottom and contained within the member I. A suitable screw I9 may be pla-ced in each aperture to attach the base member to the panel 20 and it will be apparent from Fig. 3 that the head thereof will seat on a shoulder 22 and be concealed from View. In this embodiment, it will be evident that the panel 20 is provided with a recess to receive the portions of columns I6 which extend beyond the plane of the ends 3 and 4.

The Webs 8 :and I0 are provided with hollow enlargements to form upright columns 24 and 26. These columns have apertured top walls 28 whereby they `are adapted to contain and cooperate with screw members. A plate 30, preferably formed of metal, is supported on the top edges of the side walls 5 and 6 and is contoured to conform to and close the opening 2. The columns 24 and 26 may extend beyond the top edges of the webs 8 and Il) of which they form a part, or may not, as desired, the former arrangement being here shown. Thus, they terminate in a position of engagement or incipient engagement with the under side of the plate 30. The webs, therefore, in addition to stiifening the base member I serve to support the plate member 30 and distribute the load to the shell I when some one leans on the arm rest. The plate 30 may have an upright flange 3| adjacent the ends 3 and 4 vof the base member I. A soft resilient member 32 of sponge rubber or the like of a desired shape and thickness is carried by the plate 30 and is covered by a flexible material 34 or fabric, such as that sold under the trade name Koroseal The peripheral edges 36 of this covering 34 are clamped between the side walls 5 and 6 and the plate 30, and also between the flange 3I and ends 3 and 4, by screws 3B contained within the columns 24 and 26 which threadably engage the plate and secure it to the webs 8 and I0. If desired, the plate 30 may be provided with pad portions 40 to threadably receive the screws 38.

In order to provide permanent attachment, the

resilient pad 32 and the covering 34 and the edges 36 thereof may be bonded or cemented to the plate 30 and to each other. To assist in locating and aligning the apertures in the pads 4i! of the plate 30 with the apertures in column Walls 28, the member 30 may have several 'downwardly extending tabs 42 thereon which define the inside surface of the top 2 of the base member I and t the inner edge thereof to properly position the plate 30. Y

In the arm rest shown in Figs. 5-9, the webs and I have been eliminated from the base member inasmuch as no plate member 30 is used. The apertured column'members I6 in the stiffening webs I2 and I4 are used again as means for attaching the arm rest to a panel. The web `rv'I may be used again for stiiening purposes as well as to take some of the load applied to the arm rest by a person leaning thereon. Instead of being supported on the plate 30, the resilient pad 32' is carried directly by the base member I and substantially iills the hollow interior thereof. The edges 36 of the covering 34 may be secured to the side walls and 5 in peripheral grooves 50. A metallic molding or trim strip 52 fits in the grooves 50, over the edges 36', to fasten the covering 34 tothe base member I and conceal the ragged edges 36" of vthe covering. The strip 52 may have a semi-cylindrical portion 53 and, as shown in Fig. 9, have radial inwardly extending sides 54 which bottom in the groove 50 on the edges 3S of the covering 34. rrhis construction provides a resilient or snap action to hold the strip 52 in the groove 5U. To further hold the strip in place, the ends thereof (see Fig. 5) may be bent around the ends 3 and 4 of the base member I. InV order to prevent deformation of the semi-cyclindrical portion 53, the hollow interior of the strip 52 may contain a tough core memberr55 which may be a rope or the like insertedin the strip during the fabrication thereof.

In the construction of Figs. and 1l, the base Vmember is slightly modified to provide a different trim construction. In this arrangement a peripheral langev60 is formed around the outer top edge of the base vmember and an angle-shaped trim stripIZ is secured thereto by suitable means such as `cernenting or bending the ends thereof aroundthe ends 3 and 4 of the base member.

The construction shown in Figs. 12-14 provides an increased surface area for arm resting purposes.i 'Ihe base member 6| comprises, as befor-e, a shell having upright side walls 63 and B4 and a plurality of upright stiffening webs. Because of its increased length, the shell may have a longitudinal upright web Ii which is intersected by several spaced lateral upright webs 68. These webs terminate near the open top side of the shell and lare thus in a position tolend support to the plate member 'I0 which covers this open side. The plate member 'I0 has a resilient -pad and fabric 'I2 attached thereto by suitable means as already shown in Figs. 1 4. The base member 6I may have an upright flange II on its panel side top edge to which the flange on the plate 'i0 may 'be secured by screws as shown at 73. The, intersections of the longitudinal web 66 and certain of the lateral webs 58 are enlarged to provide hollow columns 14. The columns 14 may be employed Vin the manner described in connection with the columns 24 and `2li of Figs. l-l to house screws 'I6 for securing the plate 'I0 and pad 'I2 to the base member 6I. The-columns also serve to assist the top edges ofthe walls 63 and 64 in supporting the plate 10.

Internal inclined columns 'I8 may be provided for housing screw means for attaching the arm rest to a panel. These contain aligned apertures and 82 of different diameters so as to provide radial shoulders 84 within the columns. The columns 'I8 preferably have different outer diameters eorresponding to the aperture diameters in such a manner as to provide a substantially uniform Wall thickness, thus facilitating the formation of the member from plastic by molding methods. It may .be noted that the Webs, columns, and the base members are of substantially uniform thickness in all embodiments for this purpose. The columns 18 are preferably formed in inclined transverse webs 36 andopen into the side or panel engaging ends of the base member 6I which' may -be walled as .shown at 8l. The base member 5I may be deformed downwardly as shown at 88 and 90 on either side of an intermediate portion 92 -to provide the increased depth required for the inclined columns 13. The apertures 82 in the columns open into the portions 88 and 9S and screws may be inserted therein and concealed though serving Vthe purpose of attaching the arm rest to a panel in the manner described in connection with Figs. 144.

The arm rest of Figs. 12-14 has the portion 92 spaced from the panel engaging sides of the base member 6I. This is adapted to serve as a hand grip whereby the arm rest may be used additionally as a door pull. rihe portion `92 has its counterpart in the intermediate por-tions of the arm rest Vembodiments described above. In each of these embodiments, the intermediate portion is not only spaced from the panel but there is an enlarged aperture or cutout, as represented by the interior of the C, which permits a hand to encircle the arm rest when it is desired to close a door to which it may be attached.

The modied forms of the invention shown in Figs. 15-19 diier in principle from the forms already described only in the means provided for a hand grip whereby the arm rest serves as a door pull. In the forms of Figs. 15-19 there is a portion which is spaced from the panel engaging side of the arm rest but this is grasped by the lingers of the hand rath-er than encircled by the palm as in the preceding embodiments.

In the embodiment of Figs. 15-17, the base member I0| comprises a shell having its ends |03 and a side |05 upturned so that the other side |01 as Well as a part |09 of the top are open. The open side I 01 is the panel engaging side and inwardly extending therefrom for a short distance is the ledge portion I I I which is formed on the base member by means of an upright wall or flange I|3 bordering a side of the opening |09 and a top wall ||5. The base member IUI has a longitudinal upright stiffening web III and several spaced upright lateral stiffening Webs II9. Several columns I2I may be formed in the web II'I with counterbored recesses |23. The columns I2! and the portion of the Webs I I9 which rise into the opening |09 preferably terminate in a plane with the top edge of .the side |05 and together form a support structure for the plate member |25. This member is secured to the columns I 2| by screws |21 which are concealed in the counterbores |23. The plate member |25 has an upright nange |28 which rises a substantial distance above the ledge III. A resilient pad |29 is attached to the plate |25 and these two members are covered by a suitable fabric material |3I. rIhe ilange |28 provides a surface which may be acens?? grasped by the fingers to pull a door on which the arm rest may be fastened.

The arm rest is fastened to a door by means of screws (not shown) extending through counterbores |33 in the inclined columns |35. columns are formed in certain of the webs ||0 and open into the under side of the base member |0| and terminate in or inwardly of the plane defined by the edge of the base member side |01 which engages the panel surface.

If desired, a trim strip |31 may be attached to the base member |0| by means of keys or clips |39 and bending of the ends around the edges of the base member wall as shown at |4|.

In the embodiment of Figs. 18 and 19, the base member |50 is upturned on its ends |52 and a side |54 and has a plurality of lateral upright stiffening webs |56 joined by a pair of longitudinal upright stiffening webs 56 extending inwardly from the ends |52. The panel engaging side |60 of the base member |50 opposite the side |54, as in the preceding embodiments, may or may not be open, as desired. Inwardly from this side, the base member has a continuous upright web or flange |62. On the panel side of the flange |62 the top of the base member |50 is covered as shown by the wall |64 but on the outer side of the ange, the base member may be open on top, as before, as shown at |66. counterbores |10 which receive screws |12 for attaching the plate |14 to the base member |50. In this embodiment the columns |68 are shown as rising above the top edges of the webs |56 and cooperating with pads |16 on the under side cf the plate |14 and with the edge of the opening |66 to support the plate |14. Resilient material |18 and covering fabric |80 may be attached to the plate |14 in the manners already indicated. Inclined columns |82 with counterbores |64 therein may be formed in certain of the webs |56 so as to open at one end into the under side at the other end into the open side |60 of the base member |50. This may receive screws for fastening the arm rest to a panel in the aforedescribed manner. With the arm rest so secured, an occupant may seize the flange |62 with his fingers to close the door to which the arm rest may be attached.

It will now be evident that since the invention may be embodied in many different forms, it is not intended to limit it to the specific structures shown and described. The particular merits of the invention in providing an attractive arm rest which may be economically manufactured` by molding plastic material will be apparent to those in the art. From the standpoint of functional advantages, the web and column features are outstanding since they provide concealed means whereby the arm rest may be fastened to a panel and also increase the rigidity and durability of the arm rest and serve to support the resilient pad which engages the arm. Other advantages and modifications will appear to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. An arm rest comprising a substantially C-shaped hollow base member having end walls and being of substantially U-shape in cross section, a pair of apertured recessed shoulders in the bottom wall of said member, each of said end walls having an aperture therethrough, one of said wall apertures being aligned with one of said shoulder apertures, the other of said wall apertures being aligned with the other of said These The webs |56 contain columns |66 having 46 shoulder apertures, said aligned apertures being adapted to receive means for securing said base member to a surface, a resilient member carried by said base member, and means securing said resilient member to said base member.

2. An article of the character described comprising a molded material thin-walled hollow member of substantially C-shape and having a substantially U-shaped cross section, webs extending across said U-shaped section and uniting the walls of said section at spaced points, one of said walls having an aperture therethrough opening outwardly through one of the end walls of said C-shaped member and adapted to receive a securing means for fastening said end wall to a surface, another of said webs having an aperture therethrough opening u pwardlv into the open top wall of said U-shaped section. means closing said open top wall and seating on the periph-eral edge of said U-shapecL section, and means extending through said last-named web aperture for securing together said closing means and said hollow member.

3. An article of manufacture comprising a body member having an outer wall having end portions extending substantially laterally to an intermediate longitudinal wall portion, said end portions terminating in a plane and being adapted to abut a supporting panel, said body member being provided with a pair of integrally formed tubular portions defining passageways extending interiorly of said body member in the general direction of said plane, said passageways each being provided with an annular shoulder spaced inwardly of the external wall of said body member and adapted to cooperate with shouldered fastening means extendingI through said .passageways and beyond said plane for holding engagement with the panel.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which a cushion member is provided for the said body member, in which fastening means is provided on said cushion member, and in which said body member is provided with an integrally formed tubular portions dening a passageway extending interiorly of said body member in the general direction of said cushion member, said justnamed passageway being provided with an annular shoulder spaced` inwardly of the external wall of said body member and adapted. to cooperate with a shouldered member extending through said just-named passageway and cooperable with said cushion member fastening means for holding said cushion member to said body member.

5. An arm rest for attachment to a supporting wall having a substantially vertical surface, said arm rest comprising a thin-walled, hollow, substantially inflexible casing of molded plastic material, said casing being open at the top, cushion means carried by said casing and closing the open top of the casing, said casing being formed to provide a front wall portion and a rear portion and spaced end portions integral with and connecting the rst-mentioned portions, said rear portion being adapted to nt against such supporting wall surface, stiffening web means within the casing inter-connecting and formed integral with portions thereof, and aperture forming means in the casing and integral therewith adapted to receive and direct a securing element obliquely into such supporting wall for attaching said casing thereto.

6. An arm rest as set forth in claim 5 wherein said aperture forming means has an inlet opening in the bottom of said casing and extends upwardly from said inlet opening toward said rear portion.

7. An arm rest as set forth in claim 6 wherein Ysaid aperture forming means includes an inclined hollow tube portion.

8. An arm rest as set forth in claim 7 wherein said aperture forming means includes a web within the casing interconnecting spaced portions thereof and formed integral therewith and said tube portion is formed in said web.

9. An arm restas set forth in claim 8 wherein said stiffening web means includes a web having a hollow column formed therein, said column having an inlet opening in the bottom of the casing and projecting upwardly from the bottom of said casing, said column opening toward said open top of said casing, said cushion means engaging and being supported on the top of said column, said column having a securing element therein connected to said cushion means and clamping said cushion means on the casing.

10. An arm rest for attachment to a supporting wall having a substantially vertical surface, said arm rest comprisingl a ythin-walled, hollow, substantially inflexible casing of molded plastic material, said casing being open at the top, cushion means carried by the casing and closing the open top thereof, said casing being formed to provide a front wall portion and a rear portion and spaced end portions integral with and connecting the first-mentioned portions, at least one of said casing portions including a top edge, said cushion means being at least partially supported on said top edge, said rear portion being adapted to fit against such supporting wall surface, stiliening web means within the casing interconnecting and formed integral with .portions thereof, and aperture forming means in the casing and integral therewith adapted to receive a securing element for attaching said casing to such supporting wall.

11. An arm rest as set forth in claim 10 wherein said stiffening web means includes a web that extends from the front wall portion to the rear portion of the casing.

12. An arm rest as set forth in claim 10 wherein said stiffening web means includes a web extending from end portion to end portion of said casing intermediate said front wall portion and said rear portion.

13. An arm rest as set forth in claim 10 wherein said stiffening web means includes substantially vertical webs extending from the front wall portion to the rear portion and from end portion to end portion of said casing.

14. An arm rest as set forth in claim 10 wherein the cushion means engages and is at least partially supported upon said stiffening web means.

15. An arm rest as set forth in claim 10 wherein said casing includes means formed integrally therewith engaging and supporting said cushion means and located intermediate the front wall portion and rear portion and intermediate the end portions of the casing.

16. An arm rest as set forth in claim wherein the means for supporting the cushion means includes a hollow column having an inlet opening in the bottom of the casing and projecting upwardly from the bottom of said casing, said column opening toward said open top ofsaid casing, and a securing element within said column connected to said cushion means and clamping it against the top of said column.

17. An arm rest as set forth in claim 16 wherein said cushion means includes a plate resting on said column and a resilient body secured on top of said plate and said securing element comprises a screw threaded into said plate, the balance of said screw outside of said plate being totally contained within said column.

18. An arm rest as set forth in claim 10 wherein said stifening web means includes a web having a hollow column formed therein, said column having an in1et opening in the bottom of the casing and projecting upwardly from the bottom of said casing, said column opening toward said open top of said casing, said cushion means engaging and being supported on the top of said column, said column having a securing element therein connected to said cushion means and clamping said cushion means on the casing.

19. An arm rest as set forth in claim 10 wherein said casing includes a rear wall portion spaced forwardly of said rear portion and located intermediate said end portions and below the top of said casing, the outside surface of said rear wall portion providing hand grip means whereby the arm rest is adapted to serve as a door-pull.

20. An arm rest as set forth in claim 10 including hand grip means formed on the casing comprising a flange on the casing extending longitudinally and upwardly from a portion of the top of said casing intermediate the front wall portion and the rear portion.

21. An arm rest as set forth in claim 10 wherein said cushion means includes a plate having a flange formed thereon extending longitudinally and upwardly from the top of the casing and spaced forwardly from such supporting wall surface to provide hand grip means.

22. A casing for an arm rest to be attached to a supporting wall having a substantially vertical surface, said casing being substantially inflexible and formed of thin-walled molded plastic material, saidcasing being open at the top and formed to provide a front wall portion and a rear portion and spaced end portions integral with and connecting the first-mentioned portions, said rear portion being adapted to t against such supportmg wall surface, said casing including a Vertical stiifening web formed inside the casing and integral therewith and joined to certain of said portions, said casing including a hollow vertical column formed integrally therewith and projecting upwardly from the bottom of the casing and opening toward said open top, said column being adapted to support a cushion means on the top thereof and to receive and house a securing element for clamping the cushion means on the casing, and aperture forming means in the casing and integral therewith and adapted to receive a securing element for attaching the casing to such supporting wall.

ELMER. G. WETTLAUFER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,555,396 Bourgon Sept. 29, 1925 1,937,301 Trautvetter Nov. 28, 1933 2,068,009 Doose Jan. 19, 1937 2,203,413 Hood June 4, 1940 2,212,033 Morley Aug. 20, 1940 2,292,445 Hilldring Aug. 11, 1942 2,325,292 Westrope July 27, 1943 

